Japan also participates in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons A-bomb survivors and NGOs request the government

Following the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, representatives of A-bomb survivor groups and NGOs aiming to abolish nuclear weapons met online with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 4th, requesting that Japan also participate in the treaty.

On the 4th, the representative of the "Nuclear Weapons Abolition Japan NGO Liaison Committee" formed by A-bomb survivor groups and NGOs exchanged opinions online with the person in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and explained the contents at a press conference.

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which prohibits the use, development, and possession of nuclear weapons, came into effect on the 22nd of last month, but nuclear-weapon states and countries under the nuclear umbrella, such as Japan, have indicated their intention not to participate in the treaty.

While NGOs requested that the treaty be signed and ratified promptly at the meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it shared the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons, and it was necessary to involve nuclear-weapon states to promote nuclear disarmament. He emphasized that he expressed a negative view on participation in the treaty.

Regarding this, Mr. Terumi Tanaka, the representative member of the Japan Confederation of Atomic Bomb Victims, said, "I got the impression that the treaty is not hostile, as there was a statement that it pays homage to the efforts until the treaty came into effect." He said that the entry into force of the treaty could make it impossible for the government to ignore it.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has shown a reluctance to participate in the Conference of the Parties, which will be held within one year from the entry into force, because details such as cost burden and participating countries have not been decided. ..

The "Nuclear Weapons Abolition Japan NGO Liaison Committee" will hold an opinion exchange meeting with members of the Diet and will continue to work toward participation in the treaty.